November 28th, 2014

(Source: Sing Tao Daily) Mr. Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, led an APECF delegation and visited New York. In an interview he emphasized that APECF promotes "public diplomacy, peripheral diplomacy an people-to-people diplomacy" at the behest of Chinese President Xi Jinping, APECF promotes China's foreign policy, cross strait relations, Sino-American relations, people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States. As a think tank for the development of Chinese society, APECF held meetings with members of the U.S. Congress, the Heritage Foundation, top executives of large corporations and conducted research on how to strengthen economic, trade, cultural and art exchanges and cooperation.

Mr. Xiao Wunan said the main purpose for his coming to New York is to sign an MOU at the U.N. headquarters on Nov. 24 on celebrations marking the 70th founding anniversary of the United Nations and the 70th anniversary of the Anti-Fascist War, to promote bilateral cultural and art exchanges. By organizing art and cultural performances in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for one month respectively, the Chinese people can deepen their understanding of the U.N.'s history and contribution to peacekeeping, women's rights, humanity, science and technology.

Mr. Xiao Wunan said 2015 celebrations marking the 70th founding anniversary of the United Nations and the 70th anniversary of the Anti-Fascist War" is one of the most important and biggest activities of the United Nations. Through this event, APECF can elevate "public diplomacy" to a new level, which has been widely popularized by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the central government.

Mr. Xiao Wunan said that although APECF was founded only in 2010 as a window for promoting "public diplomacy" in China, it started to play a people-to-people diplomacy role at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum 10 years ago. So far it has developed cultural and art exchanges as a bridge to promote China's new image to the world and "public diplomacy" in Africa, Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia, Oceania and other countries.

Mr. Xiao Wunan pointed out that "think tank" is a new word in China, therefore, besides playing a public diplomacy role in cultural and art exchanges, APECF's work is to maximize its efficiency as a think tank.

Mr. Xiao Wunan said the central government has attached great importance to this work, especially how to promote Sino-U.S. relations and political, economic, non-governmental exchanges. The APECF delegation will travel to Washington D.C. annually to hold meetings with the Heritage Foundation to exchange ideas on matters of mutual interest to China and the United States. At the same time APECF leaders will meet members of Congress to raise points for promoting exchanges and the development of politics, the economy and culture between China and the United States.